Pay my rent

Frequently asked questions

I pay my rent every month but I'm in arrears. Why?

All LYHA rents are due monthly in advance, and are debited to rent accounts on the first day of each month. Some tenants will choose to pay on a different day in the month, for example, to coincide with their payday. If this is the case, the account will always show in arrears, and you will be asked to pay a little bit extra each month to bring your rent account up to date, so that the account will eventually show a credit/nil balance. Please speak to your Income Officer to discuss this.

Can I get help with my rent?

You may be able to claim Housing Benefit to help with your rent, but this will depend on your personal circumstances. Please see the Government's webpage on this for more information.

What is a service charge?

This is a monthly charge you pay in addition to your rent and/or mortgage payments.

The service charge varies from property to property. It can include items such as insurance and communal grounds maintenance (in the case of a house), plus communal cleaning, fire alarm testing and window cleaning, in the case of a flat. For Shared Ownership properties, you will also pay towards future major repair costs within the charge.

You will get a breakdown of the service charge prior to purchasing/renting the property so you understand what the cost is and what it's for. If you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, it will often cover some or all of the service charge as well.

My rent is paid in full by Housing Benefit but I am in arrears. Why?

We charge rent on a monthly basis, but housing benefit is paid 4 weekly in arrears, and is credited to the rent account on the fifth week. If this is the case, the account will almost always show an arrears balance.

What happens if I receive a rent arrears letter?

Your Income Officer will write to you if you are in arrears. It is very important that you contact your Income Officer as soon as possible to discuss this, in order to prevent any further action being taken.